[Rant] Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Book 1 of The Vampire Academy Series: Vampire Academy

Richelle Mead

Young Adult - Paranormal/Vampires

Rant:

My best friend has been going on and  on about how good this series is and how much she thinks I would like it. I can see why she thought I would. For one, there's vampires. That's usually a huge plus for me.There are also cute guys and kick-ass female leads. More pluses.

In the world of Vampire Academy, there are humans, mortal vampires called Moroi, their guardians, who are half human/half vampire, called Dhampir, and evil immortal vampires called Strigoi. We begin the story with Lissa, a Moroi princess and her guardian Rose in Portland hiding out on a college campus (they're high schoolers). But then they're found and returned back to the St. Vladimir Academy, a school for Moroi and Guardians, that they'd run from.

I finished this book in a day, but about half-way through I was contemplating abandoning it. Everything that was happening seemed so trivial. They kept hinting at bigger issues, but ignoring them. There were too many silly mini-conflicts that hid the larger one. While I believe this was Mead's point so that the climax, could be, well climatic, I was bored. I couldn't connect with the characters. In truth, both Lissa and Rose annoyed me. As did most of the secondary characters, especially that Mia girl (what was her deal? Even after I learned what is was about I didn't care). Lissa was just too wimpy and a little too much "oh woe is me" and Rose was just so full of herself and not a very good person. Yes, she obviously cares for Lissa and protects her, but there were just as many times where she was the one causing her pain. Also, Rose didn't seem to have much respect for herself (or for anyone else for that matter) in the novel. Either she was fully aware and didn't give a shit, or she knew perfectly well and still didn't give a shit. I think it was the latter and I didn't like how manipulative she was to everyone. Strangely enough, Christian and Dimitri I liked and I liked Lissa and Rose a little better when they were with their respective guys.

So, anyway, I pushed myself and finished the book. Overall, I feel kind of "MEH" about it. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't love it either. If you've been following my blog or know me even a little, you know that characters are almost the most important thing for me in a book. Give me good characterization or nothing at all. I can't forgive almost anything in a work if I love (or even like) the characters. Even though this book should be up my alley (there are vampires for godssake!), it's not because Rose sucks!.  Also, usually when I finish a (good) book that is part of a series, I'm almost frantic with the need to read the next one. However, everything was wrapped up a little too neatly at the end of the novel.

I didn't love or connect with the characters; the plot wasn't very exciting; and the ending wasn't as much of a cliff-hanger as one expects from the first book in a six-book series. In the end, I'm not too excited to read the rest of the series and I probably won't.